Empires of Light: Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World
, subject: The early electric power industry and the rivalry among Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse., 2003
Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse fight the War of the Currents, a race to electrify the world that reaches the first Edison-lit homes in New York.
About the book
Jonnes follows Edison's promotion of direct current against George Westinghouse's backing of Nikola Tesla's alternating current, including Edison's campaign to paint AC as dangerous. The story runs through the harnessing of Niagara Falls and ends with Tesla dying in poverty and Westinghouse forced out of his own company.
Why read it
Best if you want the War of the Currents told through Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse together, from their rivalry to the first Edison-lit homes in New York.
Key themes
- Three rivals, one race
- From rivalry to lit homes
Evidence and original sources
Sources: official Founders episodes — #83, #85, #87, #142, #163, #267, #284
This record is supported by 10 public evidence rows linked to original Founders episodes.
- Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, George Westinghouse, and the Race to Electrify the World — This episode is dedicated to Jill Jonnes's Empires of Light, covering Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse's race to electrify the world.
- Walter and Olive Ann Beech (Aviation Legends) — The host compares Beech Aircraft’s early industry context to his prior discussion of Empires of Light.
- Thomas Watson (IBM) — David points back to Empires of Light for the first Edison-lit homes in New York and J. P. Morgan's role.
- Teddy Roosevelt and J.P. Morgan — David compares The Hour of Fate to Empires of Light (Founders #83) as another book about competing historical figures.
- Alfred Nobel — David compares Alfred Nobel's financing lesson with the Edison-Tesla lesson from what he recalls as The Empire of Light.
- Thomas Edison — David identifies Empires of Light as covering the War of the Currents and ties it to episode 83.